Archives for March 2013

One of those tried and true Penny Lane adages I love is that when you get lonely, you can go to the record store and visit your friends. Though I love a good record store (I’m looking at YOU, Cactus Music), when I get lonely, I go and visit my favorite music venues.

Trees in Dallas is one of my favorites. Possibly THE favorite? Because I’ve seen everyone there – and I mean everyone. Phantom Planet, Rooney, Ben Kweller, Hanson, The Like…all my favorite college bands played there when Mel and I used to make the 2.5 hour trek from Nacogdoches to Dallas for shows in late 2003 and early 2004. Many a night were spent grabbing a slice of pizza next door to the venue (dessert: chocolate fortune cookies!) and then waiting in line to snag our front row spot.

So in addition to getting to see Andrew McMahon in Dallas with Katie last weekend, I was also beyond thrilled to return to Trees. It felt like going home…and almost like I’d never left. And who better to see than the man who sealed his fate on my “best musicians EVER” list that night?

I saw your photo on Instagram today after finding out MCR is breaking up, and it made me sad. Sad for you because your favorite band ending is never fun, but also sad because I recognized someone in that photo.

Me.

I’ve looked that way too – and on more than one occasion. In December 2008 my favorite band, Phantom Planet, broke up. (Well, technically they announced they were going on “hiatus,” but that’s as good as saying “we’re breaking up” without actually having to admit it…) I felt like the world was ending. I stared at my computer screen in shock when I first read their announcement. I thought it was a joke. Then I cried. A lot. I screamed about how unfair it was. I called a friend who was also a big fan, and we cried and screamed together on the phone. After spending years with this band’s music soundtracking my life, it was hard to imagine a life without them. [Read more…]

It’s been a little quiet around here this week, I know. No, it’s not because I hopped on a tour bus in Dallas over the weekend and ventured off on a tour or even because I gave in and ran off to Austin for the final day of SXSW. What us Texans call “yellow season” arrived this week, but it is slowly killing me I believe. Between the swollen throat and aching head, there hasn’t been much of an attention span to write.

However, there has been attention span to listen. Today I finally got to listen to Dave Grohl’s keynote speech from SXSW last week and I just have one word: WOW. Do yourself a favor and watch it below – it’s worth every second. The entire thing left me wanting to drop everything and run off to be a better writer – because the writer comes first, to paraphrase his main message that the musician comes first. Now if only the arrival of spring would let me…

March in Austin means unpredictable weather, flying kites and every band on the face of the earth coming to town.

Ah, South by Southwest. Welcome back.

It’s kind of insane how much this “festival” (which I think is a woefully inadequate term for the musical beast that SXSW is…) has grown just in the last 2-3 years. Suddenly everyone and their mother is posting on Facebook about it, wondering how to “do it” and if they really have to spend $700+ on a badge.

And I’ll admit – that may be a contributing factor as to why I decided to opt out for the second year in a row. I learned the last time I went, SXSW is incredibly difficult to do with a group – you just gotta make your schedule and go for it. If you all manage to want to see the same band at the same time…bonus. And I won’t even mention how the entire thing makes you want to clone yourself so you don’t miss a single thing. It’s an amazing and infuriating experience all at once.

However, just because I’m not going doesn’t mean I’m not sitting here wishing I were. At first the constant stream of RSVP Tweets didn’t phase me. But this past week? Different story. There’s that smallest tinge of jealousy, guilt and desire to be there. It’s pretty easy to ignore because I opted, instead, for a Dallas music date with the lovely Katie. But if I were going to SXSW, here’s what I wouldn’t miss if my life depended on it: [Read more…]